StarCom21 2025 Official Thread

[flborror]

If you look at the heading of the ISSI patches, it will give an explanation. What part of the metro area are you in so you can program only the site(s) closest to you.

What are ISSI patches

 

[Bri112233445]

What are ISSI patches

This radio system has a good explanation

Cobb Regional Radio System TG Category: System Assigned ISSI Patch Talkgroups

Cobb Regional Radio System TG Category: System Assigned ISSI Patch Talkgroups Details

www.radioreference.com

 

[werinshades]

What are ISSI patches

Go into the Starcom 21 database, scroll to the end, and the answer you seek will be there.

 

[Awesomeman92]

I recently heard from Radio Reference user n9lob, who lives in Woodford County. He confirms that this is SC21 Site 2-68 in El Paso, which I've added to the SC21 database page. Thanks for the confirmation, n9lob!

Getting a signal from this site for the first time here in Bloomington. It is RIGHT at my noise floor. One SUPER minor addition to the information in the database, neighbor list is showing 2-29 (Normal) as a neighbor.

Go figure, El Paso is 18 miles north of me and I get a much better signal from the Macon County site, 35-40 miles south.

 

[That_Radio_Geek]

I've noticed something....I live in Metro Cook County, and so logic would say I should be able to receive Starcom simulcast from the Cook County North, Cook County North/NWCD, and Cook County South Simulcast sites, right?

When I put my radio on Cook County North, I get nothing even though that is consistently the strongest site. When I tell the radio to ignore Cook County North, and I put it on Cook County North/NWCD, the radio suddenly becomes busy with activity across all of the most active TGs on the system for that site. When I have the radio ignore Cook County North/NWCD, and rely solely on Cook County South, I still get some activity, but not nearly as much as on Cook County North/NWCD.

 

[werinshades]

I've noticed something....I live in Metro Cook County, and so logic would say I should be able to receive Starcom simulcast from the Cook County North, Cook County North/NWCD, and Cook County South Simulcast sites, right?

When I put my radio on Cook County North, I get nothing even though that is consistently the strongest site. When I tell the radio to ignore Cook County North, and I put it on Cook County North/NWCD, the radio suddenly becomes busy with activity across all of the most active TGs on the system for that site. When I have the radio ignore Cook County North/NWCD, and rely solely on Cook County South, I still get some activity, but not nearly as much as on Cook County North/NWCD.

If you're trying to hear activity on sites 5-001 or 5-002, those are mainly used by Cook County Sheriffs and are encrypted. If you're in Cook County, site 1-002 should suffice. If you're trying to listen to NWCD site from the city, you will probably only hear it northwest side. Site 1-015 can be heard on the north side of the city and into Lake County. Depending on your antenna, location in home and keep in mind not all sites can be heard from every part of the city.

 

[That_Radio_Geek]

If you're trying to hear activity on sites 5-001 or 5-002, those are mainly used by Cook County Sheriffs and are encrypted. If you're in Cook County, site 1-002 should suffice. If you're trying to listen to NWCD site from the city, you will probably only hear it northwest side. Site 1-015 can be heard on the north side of the city and into Lake County. Depending on your antenna, location in home and keep in mind not all sites can be heard from every part of the city.

Question:
You gave site numbers, and since I'm still brand new to digital systems such as Starcom, how do I know which site is which? Is there a list of site numbers somewhere and does that list show how those numbers correspond to those sites?

 

[werinshades]

Question:
You gave site numbers, and since I'm still brand new to digital systems such as Starcom, how do I know which site is which? Is there a list of site numbers somewhere and does that list show how those numbers correspond to those sites?

Yes, in the database, scroll to Cook County Trunk Systems, scroll to Starcom 21 and you'll see the site numbers on the left. Depending on what you're trying to listen to, you might only need 1 site to monitor and find the strongest signal. Many talk groups can be monitored across many sites.

 

[That_Radio_Geek]

My radio has it listed as site 049, and I see 049 on the list. Am I looking at the right list?

 

[werinshades]

My radio has it listed as site 049, and I see 049 on the list. Am I looking at the right list?

Are you looking at the database, or are you not a premium subscriber?

 

[That_Radio_Geek]

Are you looking at the database, or are you not a premium subscriber?

Not a premium subscriber yet. Seriously thinking about it, though.

 

[werinshades]

Not a premium subscriber yet. Seriously thinking about it, though.

Seriously do it, it'll make more sense then.

 

[Premises2972]

My radio has it listed as site 049, and I see 049 on the list. Am I looking at the right list?

Cook North/NWCD simulcast and Cook South- Simulcast are 2 sites where youll hear activity. Cook County - North Simulcast and Cook County - South Simulcast are Sheriff sites, youll 99% of the time hear nothing, its all encrypted, Site 102 is Cook South, and site 149 is Cook North, 500s sites are Cook County Sheriff sites
It gets a little confusing,
To DB admins, would there be an issue changing the site names to Cook County Sheriff- North/South Simulcast?

 

[That_Radio_Geek]

Cook North/NWCD simulcast and Cook South- Simulcast are 2 sites where youll hear activity. Cook County - North Simulcast and Cook County - South Simulcast are Sheriff sites, youll 99% of the time hear nothing, its all encrypted, Site 102 is Cook South, and site 149 is Cook North, 500s sites are Cook County Sheriff sites
It gets a little confusing,
To DB admins, would there be an issue changing the site names to Cook County Sheriff- North/South Simulcast?

I wish CCS would take some time to REALLY look at where their most sensitive radio traffic takes place, and unencrypt everything else that hosts radio traffic that isn't sensitive. They have a weather alerts TG, and I don't see why THAT needs to be encrypted. The radio traffic for the courts is absolutely not sensitive....it's generally officers calling for breaks, lunches, etc. I won't say anything more.

 

[ChicagoRadio736]

I wish CCS would take some time to REALLY look at where their most sensitive radio traffic takes place, and unencrypt everything else that hosts radio traffic that isn't sensitive. They have a weather alerts TG, and I don't see why THAT needs to be encrypted. The radio traffic for the courts is absolutely not sensitive....it's generally officers calling for breaks, lunches, etc. I won't say anything more.

They didn't encrypt for security they did it for privacy and this came from someone that deals with the radio system.

 

[Premises2972]

They didn't encrypt for security they did it for privacy and this came from someone that deals with the radio system.

what is so private about janitors?

 

[ILjim]

The only radio traffic from Sites 5-001/002 that are in the clear are Interops 4 to 10, Chicago 2 (TG 25019), and the patch for Tinley Park Fire Dispatch.

 

[That_Radio_Geek]

They didn't encrypt for security they did it for privacy and this came from someone that deals with the radio system.

I absolutely get compliance with privacy laws. I absolutely agree with following the privacy safeguards in Illinois FOIA. CCS needs to admit that there are TGs on their system that have no radio traffic containing anything relating to privacy concerns.

 

[cubn]

I wish CCS would take some time to REALLY look at where their most sensitive radio traffic takes place, and unencrypt everything else that hosts radio traffic that isn't sensitive. They have a weather alerts TG, and I don't see why THAT needs to be encrypted. The radio traffic for the courts is absolutely not sensitive....it's generally officers calling for breaks, lunches, etc. I won't say anything more.

About the WX alert TG...
I'm pretty sure that was a migration error and is not in the Cook County allotment.

At one time the database for some reason had all the Champaign County MDICE TRS TGs (21xxx and 22xxx) listed also under Starcom21. Those were eventually deleted but the TG 24975 (because it was similar in numbering to Cook County) got merged to Cook County.

I don't know if it is still used for WX alerts in Champaign County but MDICE TG 24975 used to be for such purposes around 2008.

 

[ChicagoRadio736]

what is so private about janitors?

Don't ask me, ask the system administrator he is in this group.